Head of IT

Head of IT  

About The Simon Wiesenthal Center  

Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a global Jewish human rights organization that confronts anti-Semitism and hate, defends the safety of Israel and Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust through awareness, advocacy, justice, education, and its Museums of Tolerance. With a constituency of over 400,000 member families since its founding in 1977, the SWC has an international footprint through its Museums of Tolerance, Moriah Films, and the Digital Terrorism + Hate Project.  

Headquartered in Los Angeles, it maintains operations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Jerusalem, and Buenos Aires. It is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Organization of American States, the Latin American Parliament, and the Council of Europe and maintains relationships with the highest levels of governments throughout the world.  

In 1993, the Center opened the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles to worldwide acclaim. The Museum has served as the Center’s flagship educational arm, challenging visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historical and contemporary contexts. In addition, the Center developed Moriah Media to produce theatrical documentaries to educate global audiences. Moriah has produced 17 documentaries to date, two of which have received the Academy Award for best feature documentary, The Long Way Home and Genocide. 

About the Role: 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is seeking an experienced and innovative Head of IT to lead the organization’s technology strategy, modernization efforts, and IT operations. This individual will oversee the transition from legacy systems to a modern infrastructure, ensuring data integrity, operational efficiency, and alignment with the organization’s mission. The ideal candidate has a deep technical skill set, a strong understanding of nonprofit workflows, and the leadership and communication skills to manage change effectively and collaborate across the organization. 

About You: 

You are a seasoned technology and operations leader with a passion for human rights, education, and technological innovation. Your background in bridging diverse teams and driving large-scale organizational change, coupled with experience in project management, will enable you to effectively lead the Simon Wiesenthal Center in shaping the organization’s future, leading a transformation to enhance operational efficiency and support our mission-driven work.  You bring extensive expertise in ERP implementation and CRM Donor Management systems, along with a proven track record in crafting effective IT strategies. You are adept in data security, system integration, and leading cross-functional teams. As a strategic thinker, you balance innovation with reliability, building solutions that support organizational growth. Your collaborative approach and clear communication style enable you to convey complex technical concepts to all stakeholders. 

This position is based in Los Angeles and will report to the executive team while closely collaborating with various stakeholders  

Key Responsibilities: 

Technical Leadership and Modernization 

• Lead Legacy System Modernization: Analyze existing system architecture and direct modernization efforts. 

• Oversee Data Migration and Integration: Manage and execute smooth data migration, transformation, and integration from legacy to new systems. 

• Develop and Enhance Systems: Apply programming skills in languages like Business Basic, Java, Python, and .NET to improve system functionality and create custom integrations. 

• Manage Cloud Infrastructure: Oversee cloud services on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, including migration, deployment, and ongoing system management. 

• Design and Implement APIs: Develop APIs to enable seamless integration across internal systems and with external partners. 

• Optimize Database Management: Ensure efficient operation and optimization of relational databases, including Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL.  

• Ensure Quality Assurance: Apply testing methodologies to uphold system functionality, security, and quality standards. 

Business and Domain Expertise 

• Nonprofit Domain Knowledge: Build a solid understanding of nonprofit workflows and the mission of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. 

• Business Process Alignment: Ensure technology solutions align with business processes and support mission-driven goals. 

• Change Management: Develop and execute a change management plan to support the transition to new systems and business processes. Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels to ensure buy-in and minimize resistance.   

Project and People Management 

• Project Management: Proven experience in project and change management, with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in executing complex projects on time and within budget. 

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with IT staff, end-users, and departments to ensure the new system aligns with organizational needs. 

• Vendor and Third-party Integration: Manage vendor relationships and oversee third-party system integration with modernized infrastructure. 

• Team Leadership and Development: Build and mentor a skilled IT team capable of supporting the organization’s technology needs throughout and after modernization. 

Soft Skills 

• Effective Communication: Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring mutual understanding of IT goals and progress. 

• Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment, enabling IT, business, and end-user teams to work toward shared objectives. 

• Problem-solving: Address technical and business challenges throughout the migration process, resolving issues efficiently. 

Qualifications: 

Education: 

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.  

• Master’s degree or relevant certifications in IT management, cloud technologies, or project management is a plus. 

Experience: 

• Proven experience (15+ years) in leading large-scale transformation programs or projects, preferably in a leadership role. 

• Proven record of successfully implementing large-scale, complex IT systems, preferably within a nonprofit organization. 

• Experience with Salesforce, NetSuite, Dynamics, or similar platforms. 

• Passion for the mission of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and an understanding of its core values and programs  

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. 

• Strong project management skills, including experience with vendor selection and PMO/QA processes. Certification in project management (e.g., PMP) is a plus 

• Proven experience in successfully leading and implementing change management initiatives. 

• Solid understanding of working collaboratively across departments and with external vendors, building strong and effective teams. 

• Strong ability to analyze and understand complex business requirements, translating them into actionable strategies and solutions that align with organizational objectives and drive value. 

Our Benefits: 

We value our people and offer a collaborative and engaging culture. As a SWC employee, you will enjoy work/life balance, generous time off and comprehensive benefits and programs.  

The Simon Wiesenthal Center embraces inclusivity and values our diverse community. We are committed to building a team based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.